Enchanting Kudroli Gokarnatheswara Temple in Mangalore

Mangalore is one the beautiful port cities in Karnataka. The city which extends along the shores of the Arabian Sea is not just a tourist place but also a pilgrim centre.

Kudroli Gokarnanatheshwara Temple in Mangalore is a famous one. Located at Kudroli, this Shiva Temple is a must visit place. Kudroli is also the venue for Dasara festival celebrations in this coastal city. In fact, here Dasara celebrations are as exuberant as Mysore Dasara festivities.

The revolutionist, Narayan Guru, was the reason behind the construction of Gokarnanatheswara Temple in Kudroli. Today, it is one of the beautiful shrines visited by thousands of devotees.

Though it was Adhyaksha Hoige Koragappa, it has developed due to the efforts of many other significant people. Sri Narayana Guru consecrated the Shiva Linga inside the sanctum and thus named it as Kudroli Gokarnanatheswara. It was completed in 1912 and has become popular over the years. Koragappa's grandson H.S. Sairam is also one of the persons behind the creation of this temple.

Recently, the temple underwent a renovation.The Dravidian style of architecture with a large gopura makes it even more beautiful.

At the entrance, we are welcomed by the two idols of elephants on each side. The vast temple premises has the sculptures of Shiva along with various other Hindu Gods. In the inner sanctum, the presiding God Shiva is worshipped as Lord Gokarnanatheswara.

The temple also has separate shrines for Ganapati, Krishna and Narayana Guru in the complex. The garden, fountain, auditorium, a water tank and the sculpture of Kailasagiri are the other attractions surrounding the temple.

Interestingly, the festive procession of Nava Durgas (Nine forms of Goddess Durga) during Dasara celebrations is a major attraction here. Similar to Mysore, this carnival is known as Mangalore Dasara in this region. Other than that, special poojas are also performed during Shivarathri.

How to Reach Mangalore

By Road: Mangalore is about km from Bengaluru (Bangalore). It is well-connected with all the major cities by road. Many government and private buses are there on a daily basis from Bengaluru to Mangalore.

By Train: Mangalore Railway Station is the nearest railway station. It is about 3km from Mangalore Railway Station to Kudroli Temple.

By Air: Mangalore International Airport is the nearest airport to reach Kudroli Temple. Kudroli Temple is around 15km from Mangalore Airport.